New Ulm weekly review., 1887-02-23
Is 8IURDEREIss q.


Prsstsa yalsatins's .ynssax - - i
was Arrested sisrr Nh
From the Augusta .ChnoniAls. s
During his inoarceeahio1 in Rich
mond county jail, Preston Valentine
who was executed tcrr ths murder u
Mr.. William Vales,, related the follow
ing remarkable storg:;
Zone night during the, latter part d
March," said Valentine. Il left the
place where was working, and went
over about two miles in the country.
to see colored man named Jim
Wilkes to whom Ihad loaned somt
money, and who had promised to re.
turn it that nightsif I should go for it.
did not find Jim, but was told he
would return to his house almost any
moment, white man for whom be
was working having sent for him.
Isat down by.the.fire in his cabin to
wait for him, and. while sitting on the
bench fell asleep. Jim came in il
about ten minutes fit couldn't have
been longer than, that, and / Icouldn't
have been asleep, longer than FIVE min
utes), paid me the money, and Ireturn
ed to my boarding place and went to
bed, but I could not sleep because
was annoyed by horrible dream
had had while. was asleep by Lm's
fire.
81 thought I went through years in
those few minutes. thought was
in Beaufort, Carolina, and was work.
ing at ship, Loading. The ship was
loaded by means of pulleys, one rope
running to, the head Of the mainmast.
passing through pulley there, then
running down to the hold of the ship
We were loading cotton. Somehow
the long rope became hitched at the
top of the mast, and Capt. r. D. Pur.
cell, who was boss, said that / must
60 up. and fix it. started to climb
the rope, and when half way, high up
from the deck, my senses seemed to
fail nae. summoned all my strength,
and, hand over hand, continued my
climb to the masthead, and after sus-
pense most terrible, and completely
exhausted from fear and dread, reach.
ed out and with the tips of my fingers
touched the mast.
"Could Ihave reached two inches
Eurther all would have been right.
could then have drawn myself on the
mast and saved myself, or remained
secure till my fellow workmen,
who were on shore shouting
to me, could help me from
my perilous position. With one
more effort, which thought would be
the last, I could make the first joints
Of my fingers reach over the fat part
Of the masthead, and felt that Twas
all right. My head was hanging be-
meath the rope. I opened my eyes
when thought myself safe and look
ed. It seemed that was so high from
tand that the people on the wharf,
who were calling to me, appeared no
larger than matches. Beneath me
was the ship which was about as large
as a dinner bucket, and the sea spread
ior miles in all directions. But
thought was saved from what a D.
peared would be q horrible plunge to
death, because my fingers were firmly
clasped over the masthead, and, so
soon as / rested moment and could
bring together all my remaining
strength, | would pull myself on top
of the long mast.
"Just when / was about to make
what knew would be my last effort,
and on which depended life or death,
felt something pushing away my
fingers from the scanty hold on the
wood. my strength was fast failing me.
aud some power was gradually, but
surely, pushing my fingers, degree by
depended my life. 1nstinctively Irais.
ed my glance from the awful and death
promising scene below to ascertain my
new foe. Horror of horrorsl 1t was
Mr.. Wales. In a glance saw him, and
saw the wrath in his face. His hair
shlngled, and half his clothing was
burned from his body. the flesh was
entirely burned from his bony fingers,
but, with a triumphant smile, he was
little by little loosening my hold from
the mast. My God! how I suffered.
Suffered the torture OF thousand
deaths. Suffered more than will on
the gallows!
"But.it was lie or death with me.
must fight the fight or / must 90
down, down to death below. Once
more collecting my whole strength
grasped for the wood, and avoiding
the bony fingers of my victim, /
clinched the mast with d death
grip. ] thought had the courage to
do battle even with the dead, and
would have proven triumphant in my
dream had not the dead spoken. Hav-
ing firmly placed myself on the mast.
had made up my mind to fight for
possession of the pole, when the APP
partition spoke. Instantly every mus
Gle was paralyzed. Ny fingers did
not relax their hold, but was power
less to move.
. Preston Valentine, you struck me
do wn III the dead OF night said the
apparition; foully murdered me.
Without a moments warning you
hurried me into the other world.
Your time is come. Vengeance l will
have!"
II could not move. The rope to
which had ciung for life was placed
around INV pack ri rbtapad co oo fn